aol roadrunner

[hawk7771us]

my friend has roadrunner with aol just install.she doesn't use a firewall because either time warner or a aol tech told her she had one in the modem,and that she was not always on line if she shut down the putter.and that i did not know what i was talking about.i told her that she needed a firewall,because she was always on line,and that she should have one for security anyway.i thought only routers have firewalls,do modems have one too? i also told her that the only way your not connected is if you turn off the modem.could i be that wrong.

[david eaton]

NO. You couldn't be ( or weren't ) that wrong. A modem does not have a firewall.

I suppose that the next thing will be that she will be told she does not need anti-virus software either!!

There are a lot of firewall programs out there. I use Zone Alarm, free and effective, but as AOL does things in non-standard ways, I don't know if ZA works. There are plenty of others here who can tell better which one to use but GET A FIREWALL!

David

[hawk7771us]

she believes them at aol,maybe if i sent her here http://www.dslreports.com/scan hope they cann't get thur. but wish they would.maybe that will show her,what i am talking about.Thanks

[Rick]

send her to one of the Probe sites
Let here see for herself what is Open on her system.

www.GRC.com
May be a good place to start..

Use the Shields Up area
https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

[hawk7771us]

she went there and her ports were open she is now dloading a firewall.Thanks

[Rick]

Your welcome.

Let use know how they (AOL and Firewall) work together..